Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Aristocracy Fixation

It's been so long since I posted any project photographs, I decided I'd better show you something in order to preserve my meagre allotment of knitter's street cred.

(If you're a new reader, welcome. Also, apologies. This is a very odd knitting blog in that actual yarn makes only occasional appearances. I keep meaning to post the latest ten rows of my whatever and never quite get around to it. So I draw pictures to distract you. Now you know the custom of the country.)

Here's the Regicide Scarf, front (right) and back (left).

I am still deeply in love with this yarn, which is Four Play from Brooks Farm. I can't believe how much yardage was included in the skein for a mere $14 or $16 (can't quite remember which). The scarf is 6 inches wide and a bit over 4 feet long, and I still have a good 1/2 the ball left to knit. That's generosity.

As you can see, the reverse of the scarf has the pebbly texture of reverse stockinette, because that's mostly what it is. There are traces visible of the King Charles Brocade diagonals, but they disappear at two paces. I quite like the look, especially in the variegated colorway.

C was away this weekend in New York City, so I spent a lot of time on another project as well, the square baby shawl from Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac. I'm working it in Dale Baby Ull.

The shawl pattern is simple (two paragraphs or so) but includes a lot of fun stuff, like Emily Ocker's Circular Cast-On (done with a crochet hook). If unaltered, it produces a very simple square with faggot stitch dividing the four plain stockinette quarters.

I decided to put Version II of the Tulip Lace from Barbara Walker Volume I into each quarter, with the strong central line of the stem running diagonally to the corners of the square. I also plan on a lace edging using some Shetland pattern or another, courtesy of Sharon Miller's Heirloom Knitting. My first attempt was good, but not what I'd hoped for. I frogged it all completely, started over, and am much happier.

Pictures forthcoming. No, seriously.

I finished the beginning of the shawl during the final minutes of the last episode of The Pallisers, and so in honor of one of my favorite characters from English fiction I have re-named the project "Glencora." (Susan Hampshire, I love you.)

A scarf commemorating a dead king and a shawl named after the fictional Duchess of Omnium. Boy, some democrat I am.

Cast On: Episode 17

Thank you for all the enthusiastic comments about Episode 17 of Cast On. My dominant feeling is relief. Relief that my trusty essayists (C and Buzz) turned up trumps in both writing and performance. Relief that I got my bits recorded. Relief that said bits successfully arrived in Wales. Relief that I did not, in fact, sink Brenda's ship by rambling on incoherently and then making everybody listen to bluegrass.

People have been asking to see the sweater with the Latin inscription worked into it. It's here.

My Former High School

A concerned parent from Honolulu also wanted to know the name of the awful high school I went to. Here's their Web site. My disappointment at learning that the place hasn't been shut down and replaced by condominiums or a Pizza Hut knows no bounds.

I was particularly amused to find the following listed as an aspect of the school's educational mission:

Celebrates the value and dignity of each person and nurtures the development of the whole person.

I guess the faculty are no longer allowed to publicly single out members of the student body who ask questions like "Why are there no female authors on any of our reading lists?" as "stupid fucking faggots."

They've probably also dropped the lesson in biology class where AIDS is explained as God's punishment on men who sleep with men. And the attempts in gym class to find out who was gay so that they could torture the suspects.

(Before anybody starts an anti-Catholic or anti-Catholic school tirade in the comments, don't. I have [extremely] bad memories of this particular school. I don't allow slams at any religion on this blog, and I'll delete them without exception or apology. So hold your fire.)

And Finally

Hot gay cowboys on pretty horses.

See? You forgot all about how I didn't take pictures of the baby shawl, didn't you?

Ok, I was all set to commen on the knitting you posted and how I often look at that stitch, but then decide it's not going to look as good as I think it's going to and that you just proved me wrong because is really beautiful.

And then you post a hottie on a horse and I lost it. Good heavens, that guy is way more gorgeous than the stitch pattern, and I'd much rather wear him around my neck!

Howdy, Franklin. While listening to my iPod over lunch today, Tammy Wynette came up. It brings back a memory of something that I thought for sure Dolores would have mentioned yesterday. She mentioned your fabulous impression of Olivia Newton-John but not Tammy. I love it when you do "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad." With that blonde wig you almost look like her - except shorter and hairier. If you can get C to do George Jones, you'd have quite an act. Hey - another great idea for that video podcast I keep saying you should do!

One of the most amusing things I have ever heard was from the director of religious education at my former church, who said this to my husband (after hearing that he was no longer a practicing Catholic):

"I'm sorry. It's probably our fault. I often find myself saying to people, 'And on behalf of the Catholic Church, I'd like to appologize for the horrible way we've treated you.'"

I would never direct this harsh rebuke to anyone by name, but YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE:

A well-bred person would never ask a lady her age.

Such a faux pas most certainly requires a written apology and flowers.

And Franklin -- I didn't know you did Tammy! You know they are currently casting the part of Brother Boy in the Sordid Lives cable series. I can just hear you shouting "Shoot her in the head, Wardell!"

When will this country stop abusing our children and sending them to gym class. We are constantly on the look out for harmful things--covering fence tops with big squishy bolsters so little Jonny won't impale himself while playing little league comes to mind. (I mean, how many kids get hurt by fences?)

-ahem- um . . . Ok. I embellished the truth just a trifle in an earlier comment today. Franklin is not pleased that I said he wears a wig and lip synchs to Tammy Wynette. I lied. I'm sorry. He doesn't.

Tim

But don't you think he SHOULD? It would be a hoot! I love the idea of him playing Brother Boy. "How long is this whole dehomosexualization thing going to take?"

I love the Brooks Farm yarn - such beautiful colours - but hate the website. It doesn't tell me recommended needle sizes or stitches-per-inch and, as I'm in Australia and don't know what an ounce is, I have no idea if one would knit lace or aran with it...

The more I hear about churches in general and Catholicism in particular, the worse my opinion of Christianity becomes.

Long time reader, first time poster.I'm a Chicago girl who has relocated 4-evah to Melbourne Australia. Your blog is most excellent, and I would like to bring you a gift of thanks, some pretty pretty Aussie fleece (Polwarth-it's lovely)to spin when I come back to Chicago in June. I may have to post it or leave it on your door step as it'll be a whirlwind visit. I'll leave my email address at the end of this post if you're interested. This blog attracts such quality commentary I don't feel like I'm opening myself for trouble...maybe.

My husband attended a Catholic school here in Melbourne. You should've gone there. He hates sport and managed to convince the powers that be that Bridge could indeed count for PE credit. He created a Bridge club and he and all the otherPE dodgers gained their PE credits playing Bridge three times a week.And generally there was no girl bashing or spirit crushing, just tedious tasks like analyzing the lyrics of "I am a Rock".denysedalton@yahoo.com.au

Well, Franklin, you can imagine my joy the day they demolished my own much-hated school! I still have the newspaper photograph of the rubble, and whenever I come across it, it brings a smile to my face! Aloha! Wendy

I listened to the first few minutes of your Cast On episode today on my commute home, and how funny and sad it was to hear the role reversal. Late this afternoon a very patronizing male coworker of mine seemed shocked and dare I say impressed that I had heard of Alan Greenspan and knew that he'd retired.

While he just pissed me right off, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at your co-commuters comment.

I'm sure King Charles would have loved the scarf ..keep his neck warm at least.I have horrible visions of your school and you all having to take cold baths wearing strange muslin sheaths..as seen in some film.I'd love to see "The Pallisers" as I love costumes and Mum says susan Hampshire was much better in "The Forsyte Saga" than the miserable creature in the latest series.Mum is moaning about films today as she got to see "The Motor-cycle Diaries" last night and pronounced it "all very pretty but not a patch on the book".

this post made me laugh so hard that i cried. and that's a good thing when you've just broken up with your boyfriend and are moping around at work. at least i can now say that i'm crying from laughing instead of crying from love life issues.

I LOVE the cowboy images. The horses are incredible. More more more. When is there going to be a rodeo near us ? Do you ever go to Arlington Park for the horse fix? I think I saw the Illinois State Fair rodeo event dates for this year. Anything else?

Sorry, but cowboys of either persuasion don't do much for me. I'd rather look at Dolores. (or you!)I love love love your regicide scarf. I need to make something with that pattern for myself. And I definitely need to figure out this whole podcast thing so I can go hear yours.Am I the only one who finds it ironic that the Catholic school bears the same name as the evil kid from The Omen? Just sayin'.

You did a beautiful job on the Regicide scarf, Franklin. I wish you much luck and patience in your next project (yep I peeked). Jaggerspun Zephyr is what I've heard recommended.

I too was a gym class victim--one lovely classmate thought it funny to scream in my left ear, causing permanent damage. If I hadn't told myself "I may be fat but I'm not stupid." every day during those awful years, I'd be a mental mess.

To all those recipients of abuse: stand tall. We got through it. We're better than our abusers. To hell with them.

Thank you . . your scarf inspired me to start my own spring scarf. I'm making a similar design. I just love your photograph of it too!

As for highschools . . . mine was horribly homophobic too! I once had been harassed and had a death threat on me . . . I was dragged into the principal's office and told that it was my fault, I shouldn't have come out. Don't you just love highschool??

OK, here's the thing. I have been thinking, lately, of a wedding ring shawl. Not for me, you see, but for my lovely daughter. The thing is, I'm not a very good knitter, and I figure it would take me a very long time. A Very Long Time. But I think that I have a plan. After all, you wrote (and I read) that you really have no use for the lovely shawl you are about to embark upon. My daughter is surely going to get married one day, so she could make great use of the shawl. See? Problem solved! And you wouldn't need to rush, after all, she's only 13, and probably won't be getting married for, oh, ten or fifteen years. Let me know.Carol(By the way, in case the tongue in my cheek didn't make it onto the screen, I was just kidding)

I tried to listen to your Cast-On episode online and couldn't get it to work. So I HAD to go out and buy an iPod Nano. Thanks for forcing me to keep up with the times! Loved your episode! I love Dolores, your cartoons, sense of humor and the fact that you want a cowboy too! I may even move to Texas to get myself one! Ride 'em Cowboy!Cyndy

I feel so fortunate to have happened upon your podcast hosting stint - I was working on a finicky project involving beads and invisible wire and wondering why, and in my laughing lost more beads than my dogs had the energy to track - I forgot the finickiness, and actually enjoyed the process - thank you so much, can't wait for more...

"Greetings from Sweden" Love your blog and Podcast. I just thought I would leave your a comment and say how truly gorgeous your Regicide Scarf is. The colours in the yarn just really bring the pattern to life. I stared out my knitting adventures also with EZ's Knitting without tears book it was a great companion in the "wastelands of the knitting world of the 80's" when I learnt.

just heard about cast on and am catching up - starting at the beginning.

love your episode. you have such a kind voice; i think you could use the following effectively and with no snark taken, in response to 'are you learning to knit?'

"no sweetie, this is an advanced skill."

that tale raises my hackles. i'm a degreed professional librarian (girl-type), and when i worked in public service had countless old men sidling up to the reference desk wanting to 'teach the lady something'. similar thing.

as i write this, snarky as i tend to be, i have reached a new insight:

"this person thinks that what i am doing is a simple-minded little thing, because i, through my great skill, have made it *appear* -- effortless."

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